Electrophotography – Internal machine environment – Particle or contaminant control
Reexamination Certificate
2001-09-27
2003-09-30
Beatty, Robert (Department: 2852)
Electrophotography
Internal machine environment
Particle or contaminant control
C399S012000, C399S262000, C222S325000, C222SDIG001
Reexamination Certificate
active
06628908
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a toner supply unit having a toner container loaded detachably on a main body of the unit such that a toner discharging portion faces downward (in the direction of gravitational force), in which when the toner container is loaded on the main body of the unit, an insertion member is inserted into the toner discharging portion so as to supply toner through the insertion member.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Conventionally, it has been well known that in an image forming apparatus such as a printer, copier and the like, a toner container for storing toner such as a toner bottle, a toner cartridge and the like is set up on the main body of the same apparatus and toner is supplied from the container to a developing portion. In this kind of the toner container, a toner discharging port is closed with a cap or seal so that upon replacement of the container, user has to remove that cap or seal. However, this work causes scattering of toner or contamination by toner, therefore user does not like to do such a work. Thus, since before, various devices and proposal have been made for user to carry out the replacement work of the toner container comfortably.
For example, a toner container provided with a self-closing valve at a toner discharging port thereof has been already proposed. Such a toner container can be set up in the apparatus without removing the cap or seal.
FIG. 23
shows an example of the toner container provided with the self-closing valve, which the same applicant as this application has already proposed.
Referring to
FIG. 23
, a mouth ring
23
, in which the toner discharging port is formed of the toner container
20
, is provided with a seal valve
60
made of non air-permeable sponge as the self-closing valve. Slits
65
, which intersect each other substantially in the center, are formed in the sealing valve
60
. On the other hand, a nozzle
40
, which serves as an insertion member, is erected in a setting portion
50
in the main body of the apparatus in which the toner container
20
is to be set up. When the toner container
20
is set in the setting portion from above, the nozzle
40
is inserted through the slits
65
in the sealing valve
60
. At this time, the slits
65
in the sealing valve
60
are outstretched so as to make firm contact with an external periphery of the nozzle
40
without any gap. If the toner container
20
is pulled out of the setting portion, the outstretched slits
65
return to their original states by elasticity of the sponge seal
22
.
However, the aforementioned toner container
20
has such a problem that toner leaks from the slits
65
in the sealing valve
22
, so that the setting portion
50
is contaminated. Major reasons for such a problem are as follows.
The nozzle
40
is not located in the center of the sealing valve
60
. Moreover, when the nozzle
40
is inserted into the sealing valve
60
or removed therefrom, gap is generated between the slits
65
and the nozzle
40
. Moreover, the sealing valve
60
creeps thereby lowering sealing effect. In addition, when the nozzle
40
is pulled out, toner deposited on the nozzle
40
upon setting spills out.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of this invention to provide a developing agent storage container and an image forming apparatus using the same container, capable of reducing toner contamination upon replacement and raising air-tightness of the container.
The toner supply unit according to one aspect of this invention comprises: a toner container that holds a toner, the toner container having a toner discharging portion for discharging the toner; a toner container holder that detachably holds the toner container in such a manner that the toner discharging portion faces in a direction of gravity; an insertion member that is inserted into the toner discharging portion while the toner container is held by the toner container holder, wherein toner is filled into the toner container through the insertion member; and a preventing unit for preventing toner contamination due to toner leakage through the self-closing valve, the preventing unit including a self-closing valve, provided to the toner discharging portion, which is opened or closed by removing or inserting the insertion member from/into the toner discharging portion.
The toner supply unit according to another aspect of this invention comprises: a toner container that holds a toner, the toner container having a toner discharging portion for discharging the toner; a toner container holder that detachably holds the toner container in such a manner that the toner discharging portion faces in a direction of gravity; an insertion member that is inserted into the toner discharging portion while the toner container is held by the toner container holder, wherein toner is filled into the toner container through the insertion member, the insertion member having a top surface and an opening on the top surface; and a self-closing valve, provided to the toner discharging portion, which is opened or closed by removing or inserting the insertion member from/into the toner discharging portion.
The toner supply unit according to still another aspect of this invention comprises: a toner container that holds a toner, the toner container having a toner discharging portion for discharging the toner; a toner container holder that detachably holds the toner container in such a manner that the toner discharging portion faces in a direction of gravity; an insertion member that is inserted into the toner discharging portion while the toner container is held by the toner container holder, wherein toner is filled into the toner container through the insertion member; and a suction unit having an suction port in the vicinity of a toner discharging portion of the toner container held by the toner container holder.
The image forming apparatus according to still another aspect of this invention comprises the toner supply unit according to the present invention.
Other objects and features of this invention will become apparent from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4499849 (1985-02-01), Tomita
patent: 4547059 (1985-10-01), Nagayama et al.
patent: 4571070 (1986-02-01), Tomita et al.
patent: 5074342 (1991-12-01), Kraehn
patent: 5105222 (1992-04-01), Ohta et al.
patent: 5386274 (1995-01-01), Sanpe et al.
patent: 5576816 (1996-11-01), Staudt et al.
patent: 5592267 (1997-01-01), Misago et al.
patent: 5595223 (1997-01-01), Hayao
patent: 5638159 (1997-06-01), Kai et al.
patent: 5663788 (1997-09-01), Sanpe
patent: 5815784 (1998-09-01), Kasahara et al.
patent: 5875380 (1999-02-01), Iwata et al.
patent: 5878317 (1999-03-01), Masuda et al.
patent: 5953567 (1999-09-01), Muramatsu et al.
patent: 5962783 (1999-10-01), Iwata et al.
patent: 5987298 (1999-11-01), Muramatsu et al.
patent: 6112046 (2000-08-01), Suzuki et al.
patent: 6122468 (2000-09-01), Sakamoto et al.
patent: 6128459 (2000-10-01), Iwata et al.
patent: 6142690 (2000-11-01), Yoshimura et al.
patent: 6163669 (2000-12-01), Aoki et al.
patent: 6193113 (2001-02-01), Hidding
patent: 6198895 (2001-03-01), Tsuda et al.
patent: 6201941 (2001-03-01), Kasahara et al.
patent: 6249304 (2001-06-01), Sawayama et al.
patent: 6282396 (2001-08-01), Iwata et al.
patent: 6295437 (2001-09-01), Hodoshima et al.
patent: 6304739 (2001-10-01), Katsuyama et al.
patent: 6337957 (2002-01-01), Tamaki et al.
patent: 6363232 (2002-03-01), Flaherty
patent: 6381435 (2002-04-01), Shinohara et al.
patent: 6386392 (2002-05-01), Argentieri et al.
patent: 6393241 (2002-05-01), Matsumoto et al.
patent: 6501913 (2002-12-01), Hattori et al.
patent: 6505014 (2003-01-01), Aoki et al.
patent: 6505022 (2003-01-01), Kosuge et al.
patent: 6522855 (2003-02-01), Katoh et al.
patent: 2000-227706 (2000-08-01), None
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/963,644, filed Sep. 27, 2001, pending.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/985,368, filed Nov. 2, 2001, allowed.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/059,187, filed Jan. 31, 2002, pending.
U
Fujimori Kouta
Hattori Yoshio
Ichikawa Tomoyuki
Iwata Nobuo
Kasahara Nobuo
Beatty Robert
Ricoh Company, Ltd
LandOfFree
Toner supply unit and image forming apparatus does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Toner supply unit and image forming apparatus, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Toner supply unit and image forming apparatus will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3077037